MISSIO DEI

COLLANA DI STUDI MISSIOLOGICI E INTERRELIGIOSI

Direttori

Ambrogio BPontificia Università Urbaniana

Gaetano SPontificia Università Urbaniana

Comitato scientifico

Jesús Angel B, OPPontificia Università Urbaniana

Kathleen MGNational University of Ireland

MISSIO DEI

COLLANA DI STUDI MISSIOLOGICI E INTERRELIGIOSI

L’attività missionaria è un’azione della carità, nella carità e per la carità; esattamentecome essa è un’azione di Dio, in Dio e per Dio.

Adam W, Teologia della missione

Tutta l’esistenza cristiana deve caratterizzarsi come esistenza missionaria o, per dirlacon le parole del concilio Vaticano II, “la chiesa che vive nel tempo è per sua naturamissionaria” (AG ). [Di conseguenza,] la chiesa inizia ad essere missionaria nonmediante il suo annuncio universale del vangelo, bensì mediante l’universalità delvangelo che annuncia.

David B, La trasformazione della missione

L’obiettivo della collana è riportare la missione cristiana al centrodella riflessione teologica contemporanea di tutti i cristiani, alla suadimensione cosmica, in quanto “Missio Dei”, al suo profondo valoresocio–antropologico. Dio è il primo “missionario”, che per amore enell’amore si auto-comunica, come ricorda il paradigma relazionaletrinitario. Ciò comporta un superamento dell’idea di missione comeproselitismo.

La missione cristiana non rappresenta un progetto d’espansione dellechiese, quanto il progetto della Chiesa di incarnare e testimoniarenel mondo l’amore di Dio per tutta l’umanità. Nel tempo della glob-alizzazione cambia il baricentro della missione e con esso ancheil concetto di Missio Ad Gentes, fino ad ora concepita come movi-mento dal centro verso la periferia, dalle zone ricche verso le zoneemarginate.

La dimensione pluralista — religiosa e culturale — del mondo con-temporaneo impone una riflessione più profonda sul rapporto tramissione e dialogo interreligioso e sul ruolo delle altre tradizionireligiose in relazione a Gesù Cristo e al cristianesimo.

La spiritualità missionaria, essendo contemplativa e trasformativa,richiede ai cristiani una testimonianza sempre pronta al confronto eal discernimento dei segni dei tempi. Per tutte queste considerazioni,l’approfondimento missiologico non può considerarsi quale meraspecializzazione della teologia ma l’humus di ogni riflessione teolog-ica. Coinvolgendo tutte le altre scienze umane, in particolar modoantropologia, sociologica e filosofia, lo studio missiologico ed inter-religioso si configura quale servizio integrale al mondo, all’uomo ealla Chiesa.

Francis Anekwe Oborji

Mission and Reconciliation

Theology and Pastoral Challenges of Social Violence

Copyright © MMXVAracne editrice int.le S.r.l.

www.aracneeditrice.itinfo@aracneeditrice.it

via Quarto Negroni,

Ariccia (RM)()

----

I diritti di traduzione, di memorizzazione elettronica,di riproduzione e di adattamento anche parziale,

con qualsiasi mezzo, sono riservati per tutti i Paesi.

Non sono assolutamente consentite le fotocopiesenza il permesso scritto dell’Editore.

I edizione: luglio

For the th Anniversary of my Ordination to the Priesthood ( — )

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfand entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” ( Corinthians :)

Contents

Abbreviations

Acknowledgements

Introduction

The Problem, – The Scope of the Study, – Motivations for theWork, – The Relevance of this Study, – Conclusion, .

Part ITheology of Mission and Reconciliation

Chapter IThe Basis and Perspective of Mission

.. Introduction, – .. Mission in the Bible, – ... Missionin the Old Testament, – ... Mission in the New Testament, –.. Theological Aspects of Mission in the Vatican II Teaching, –... Trinitarian Basis of Mission, – ... Christological and Soterio-logical Bases of Mission, – ... Pneumatological Basis of Mission, –... Ecclesiological Basis of Mission, – .. Conclusion, .

Chapter IITheological Aspects of Reconciliation

.. Introduction, – .. The Concepts of Reconciliation, –... The Meaning of Reconciliation, – ... Reconciliation in theOld Testament, – ... Reconciliation in the New Testament, –.. The Theological Dimensions of Reconciliation, – ... TheSoteriological dimension, – ... The Christological dimension, –... The Pneumatological dimension, – ... The Ecclesiological dimen-sion, – ... The Sacramental dimension, – ... The Eschatologicaldimension, – .. Paschal Mystery: The Basis of Reconciliation andMission, – .. Conclusion, .

Contents

Chapter IIIThe Church’s Teaching on Social Reconciliation

.. Introduction, – .. Reconciliation in the Thoughts of theChurch Fathers, – ... The Metaphysical/Eschatological dimensionof Reconciliation in Augustine, – ... Ecclesial dimension of Recon-ciliation in Augustine, – .. Reconciliation in the Conciliar andPost–Conciliar Teaching, – ... Reconciliation in the Vatican II Teach-ing, – ... Reconciliation in the Post–conciliar Period: “Reconciliatio etPaenitentia”, – .. Conclusion, .

Part IIReconciliation and Causes of Violence

in the Social Context

Chapter IVThe Causes of Conflicts in the Social Context

.. Introduction, – .. Violence and Sources of Violence, – ... What are the causes of violence?, – .. Culture and Psy-chological — Stereotype Violence, – ... A group’s perception oftheir own culture, – ... Manipulation of myths, – ... De-fensive mechanism, – ... Culture and its qualities of a bully, –... Cultural splitting and bullying among nations, – .. Ethnicityand Sources of Conflicts and Violence, – ... Types of Ethnicityand Violence, – .. Ethnicity and Nationalism, – ... What is aNation or Nation–States?, – ... Ethnicity and Nation–States, –.. Conclusion, .

Chapter VReligion and Violence

.. Introduction, – .. The Meaning and History of Religious Con-flicts and Violence, – ... The Problem, – ... The Meaningof Religious Violence, – ... The Question of Relationship betweenReligion and Violence, – .. Factors fostering the Use of Religionfor Violence, – ... Violence and Manipulation of Religious Tradi-tion, – .. Motivations for the “Holy War”, – ... PsychologicalPerspectives, – ... Religious Fundamentalism and Violence, –.. Conclusion, .

Part IIILanguage Learning in Social Reconciliation

Contents

Chapter VIPalaver and Language Learning in Reconciliation

.. Introduction, – .. Reconciliation and Mission, – .. TheAfrican Palaver Model of Reconciliation, – ... Some Characteristicsof Palaver Discourse, – ... The South African Model of Palaver, –.. Language Learning in Reconciliation, – ... Reconciliation andConversion, – ... Reconciliation and our Language of the “Other”, – .. Reconciliation and Narrative Story in an African Context, –... Narrative Story and Imagination, – ... The Gospel Story andEvangelii Gaudium, – .. Conclusion, .

Conclusion

Reconciliation and the Unity of the Human Family, – Reconciliationas a Spiritual Journey, – Mission and Commitment to Peace, Justiceand Reconciliation, – Conclusion, .

Bibliography

Abbreviations

AA Apostolicam Actuositatem, Vatican II decree on aposto-late of lay people

AAS Acta Apostolicae SedisAFER African Ecclesial ReviewAG Ad Gentes, Vatican II decree on the missionary activity

of the churchAMECEA Association of the Member Episcopal Conference of

Eastern AfricaANC African National Congress, South AfricaCA Centesimus Annus, encyclical letter of Pope John Paul II

on Social IssuesCCC Catechism of the Catholic ChurchCDF Congregation for the Doctrine of the FaithCELAM Episcopal Conference of Latin AmericaCV Caritas in Veritate, encyclical letter of Pope Benedict

XVI on integral human development in charity andtruth

DCE Deus Caritas Est, encyclical letter of Pope Benedict XVIon Christian love

DH Dignitatis Humanae, Vatican II declaration on religiousliberty

DI Dominus Iesus, declaration Dominus Iesus from Congre-gation for the Doctrine of the Faith

DV Dei Verbum, Vatican II dogmatic constitution on divinerevelation

EG Evangelii Gaudium, apostolic exhortation of Pope Fran-cis

EN Evangelii Nuntiandi, apostolic exhortation of Pope PaulVI on Evangelization

GS Gaudium et Spes, Vatican II pastoral constitution on thechurch in the modern world

ITC International Theological Commission

Abbreviations

LG Lumen Gentium, Vatican II dogmatic constitution on thechurch

NCE The New Catholic EncyclopediaNT New TestamentOT Old TestamentPP Populorum Progressio, encyclical letter of Pope Paul VI

on human progressRH Redemptor Hominis, encyclical letter of Pope John Paul

II on Christ as universal redeemerRM Redemptoris Missio, encyclical letter of Pope John Paul

II on the missionary mandateRP Reconciliatio et Paenitentia, apostolic exhortation of

Pope John Paul II on reconciliationSC Sacrosanctum Concilium, Vatican II constitution on sa-

cred liturgySECAM Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and

MadagascarSRS Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, encyclical letter of Pope John II

on Social IssuesSS Spe Salvi, encyclical letter of Pope Benedict XVI on

Christian hopeTRC Truth and Reconciliation Commission, South AfricaUUP Urbaniana University PressWCC World Council of Churches

Acknowledgements

This book began as a result of my classroom lecture on missionand reconciliation in the present social context which I initiated andstarted teaching in at the Faculty of Missiology of the PontificalUrbaniana University, Rome. I am grateful for the support of mycolleagues at the University. My special thanks to the former deanof the Faculty of Missiology, the present Rector of the University,Professor Alberto Trevisiol, IMC, who has indeed been a good friend.Professor Trevisiol was the first person to encourage me to publishthis book. His constant reminder and support for the publication ofthis book is immeasurable. I am also indebted to our students at theFaculty of Missiology for their interests and inputs during our lecturemeetings. Our students have really been a great source of inspirationand encouragement. In fact, they were among the first group ofpeople that offered the initial stimulus for the publication of thisbook. I am also very grateful to the staff of the Pontifical UrbanianaUniversity Library for their assistance and excellent services.

Most of the chapters of this book were written during my sum-mer vacations at St Scholastica Benedictine Abbey, Umuoji in myhome Archdiocese of Onitsha, Nigeria between and . Ithank the former Abbess of the monastery, late Rev. Mother PatriciaAlufuo, O.S.B., her successor Rev. Mother Margaret Ngaobidi O.S.B.,and their Sisters for their hospitality. The summer holidays I spentin Ingenbohl Kloster (Priesterhaus), Brunnen, Switzerland in afforded me the opportunity to initiate the work on the early chap-ters of the book. I thank Fr. Lorenzo Campagnoli who has indeedbeen a reliable friend of mine for many years, for sponsoring my staythere, and to the Ingenbohl Sisters for their hospitality. My ecclesi-astical authorities at Onitsha have been very supportive. My specialgratitude goes to Most Rev. Valerian M. Okeke, the Archbishop ofOnitsha, his new Auxiliary Most Rev. Chidi Denis Isizoh who hadbeen a colleague in Rome before his recent appointment as Bishop;and to the entire Archdiocesan Presbyterium. In particular, manythanks to Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenu for his generous assistance in

Acknowledgements

the computer work not only of the manuscript of this book but alsoof most of my other previous publications. I thank all the membersof my family and relatives at Aguleri, Anambra State, Nigeria, allmy friends and acquaintances at home and abroad for surroundingme with their love and prayers. You all have been a special pillar ofstrength for me all through these years. To each one of you, I say:daalu.

With good measure of humility and appreciation, I acknowledgehere how much I have benefited from the works of many authorsacross the globe, who wrote on the subject of reconciliation andviolence in the context of mission in recent times. My acquaintancewith works of these authors along with the social documents ofthe Church as well as my knowledge of the situations of conflictsand processes of reconciliation going on in different parts of theglobe, especially in Africa, served as an indispensable resource indetermining the final focus of this book.

Many thanks to the Management of Aracne Publishing Press(Editrice) for accepting my manuscripts. The Editorial Director Dr.Claudio Gotti gave his wholehearted support. I thank him in a veryspecial way.

When we contemplate the incidents of conflicts and violence inthe world today, we may be close to despair. However, Jesus Christ,our reconciler, has traveled that road before, for he was tempted todespair: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Christ knewthe feeling of abandonment that victims of violence experience, buthe turned in hope to his Father: “Yet you, the Holy One. . . in youour ancestors put their trust” (Psalm :–). The biblical teachingon suffering is not one of despair or resignation, but of hope on theone who became a victim of violence that there may be life and ourreconciliation with God and with one another: “Christ has broughtus peace by making us one people” (Ephesians :–). In this way,God will be all in all.

Rome, March , Francis Anekwe O

“The greatest poverty is to feel unwanted and unloved”(Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta)

“The merit is not, in not feeling pain but in accepting it”(Blessed Michael Iwene Tansi of Aguleri, Nigeria)

Introduction

The Problem

Through him we all have access to the Fatherin the one Spirit (Ephesians :)

It is increasingly becoming obvious, that in spite of the advancementin the areas of modern means of transportation and communicationsystems that have made the world look like a village in terms of easyflow of information, movement of persons and goods, the world isstill burdened by religious, cultural, ethnic, political and economicconflicts and violence. These have led to wars, to the negative ratio-nalization and stereotypes of one group against the other, to the useof religion to terrorize and cause havoc to people, to the abuse of po-litical rhetoric, and to formulation of political and economic policiesthat favor one region and discriminate against the other. Many coun-tries are still struggling to overcome ethnic and religious conflicts intheir different territories. This is also played out at global and regionallevels in the form of zeno–phobia, the growing anti–immigrationlaws by governments in most of the advanced countries, hatred,racism, religious acrimonies, bigotry, terrorism, unjust geopoliticaland economic systems — the North–South economic divide that hasdivided the world into First, Second, Third and even Fourth worlds,and that has continued to widen the gap between the rich and thepoor. In the midst of these situations, however, the church, both atthe universal and local levels, and in line with the Vatican II socialteaching, has been preaching reconciliation, justice and peace. The

. Cfr. V C II, Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern WorldGaudium et spes, : December : AAS () – (Hereafter referred to as GS).

. For the most recent teaching on this, see: F, Apostolic Exhortation Evangeliigaudium: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City (Hereafter referred to as EG); B

XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, June : AAS () – (Hereafterreferred to as CV). See also, P C J P, Compendium of SocialDoctrine of the Church, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City .

Introduction

church has been involved also in some major initiatives towardsconflict resolutions. Both conciliar and post–conciliar documentsemphasize “a commitment to justice and peace in a world like ours,marked by so many conflicts and intolerable social and economicinequalities”.

The question of justice and peace in the world today is beginning toinfluence the writings of contemporary missiologists who reflect on thechallenges of reconciliation and violence in our increasingly pluralisticsociety. In the writings of most contemporary authors, one sees theeffort to link various socio–cultural and religious contexts with theself–revelation of God in Jesus Christ. They do this by reflecting on theuniversal call for salvation in Jesus Christ and on the fact that humanityhas a common origin and destiny in the One True–God revealed inJesus Christ. This is the background under which most missiologists andtheologians today offer their reflections on the emergent emphasis onreconciliation in the social context. Some missiologists today, prefer totake the whole humanity together and speak simply of that which unitesthe human race over and above what divides it. This means that con-temporary missiology is taking us step further to an important aspectof the Christian mission, namely, the recapitulation of all things in Godthrough Jesus Christ. By emphasizing the universal nature of the humanfamily and the church’s missionary role in that regard, missiology todayis offering new developments and research on how to help humanityrediscover its origin and destiny in the One True–God who has beenrevealed to humanity through Jesus Christ — who through his deathon the cross has reconciled the world to the Father.

The present book is a contribution to this debate about reconcilia-tion and violence in the present social context. The book approaches

. J P II, Apostolic Letter Tertio millennio adveniente, : November : AAS () –.

. It suffices to cite the following works: R.J. S, R.S. A, G.F. P (eds.),Peace–Building: Catholic Theology, Ethics, and Praxis, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York ; G.B — H. W (eds.), The Reconciliation of Peoples: Challenge to the Churches (WCC Publications),Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York ; R.J. S, Reconciliation: Mission and Ministry in aChanging Social Order, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York ; R.J. S, The Ministry ofReconciliation: Spirituality and Strategies, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York ; R.J. S,In water and in Blood: A Spirituality of Solidarity and Hope, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York; C.E. G (ed.), The Theology of Reconciliation, T & T Clark, London ; I

T C, Memory and Reconciliation: The Church and the Faults of the Past, PaulinePublications Africa, Nairobi .

Introduction

the debate from a missiological view–point. Contemporary missi-ological research in the post–Vatican II period has helped to throwsome light on the topic of reconciliation and violence in the presentsocial context and the evangelizing mission of the church to thateffect. Inspired by the Vatican II teaching on the universal nature ofthe human family and the missionary role of the church as a motherwhose duty is to bring God’s entire children under one sacramentalumbrella of love and brotherhood, contemporary missiology is be-ginning to seek spontaneously a more universal way of theologicalthinking that will connect diverse socio–cultural and religious con-texts of world’s peoples, each of them with the whole of humanityand the history of salvation in Jesus Christ. The Vatican II’s emphasisis on the human person who deserves to be preserved and humansociety which also deserves to be renewed in unity and love as afamily of nations. The concept of human person, and of the entirehumanity which forms single family on the basis of their being cre-ated in the image and likeness of the One True–God, and redeemedby Jesus Christ through his death on the cross, forms the core ofthis conciliar teaching. The Council’s emphasis is on the One–TrueGod, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has fatherly concernfor everyone, has willed that all men and women should constituteone family and treat one another in a spirit of brotherhood, respectand love. How is this Vatican II’s teaching on humanity’s commonorigin and destiny, and respect to the dignity of the human person,to be realized in modern society marked by abject poverty, tensions,hatred, conflicts, divisions, violence, terrorism, and wars? This is thetask we have set for ourselves in this book.

Our major argument in this book is that the two aspects, theuniversal nature of the human family and the value and dignity of

. Cfr. GS . See also V C II, Declaration on the Relation of the Churchto Non–Christian Religions Nostra Aetate, October : AAS () – (Hereafterreferred to as NA).

. It suffices to mention works of the following authors: D.J. B, Transforming Mission:Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York ; S.B. B —R.P. S, Constants in Context: A Theology of Mission for Today, Orbis Books, Maryknoll,New York ; F.A. O, Concepts of Mission: The Evolution of Contemporary Missiology,Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York ; P. J, The Next Christendom: The Coming ofGlobal Christianity, University Press, Oxford ; R.J. S, The New Catholicity: TheologyBetween the Global and the Local, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York .

. Cfr. GS .

Introduction

the human person created in the image and likeness of the OneTrue–God and redeemed by Jesus Christ, should constitute a majorpoint of departure for language learning in social reconciliation inmodern pluralistic society. As a missionary challenge, we have beencalled to be ambassadors and promoters of reconciliation, justice andpeace in the society. Our common origin and destiny in the OneTrue–God and the universal salvific redemptive work of Jesus Christ,brings to bear the challenges of promoting reconciliation, achievingharmony, peace and justice in the social order. These challengesconstitute an essential aspect of the preaching and mission of Jesusand the church. In other words, in this emerging perspective ofmission, the question of the value of the human person, process ofpeople–building, and reconciliation assume an important place intheological and missionary considerations.

Furthermore, the conciliar teaching raises thought on the possi-bility of a holistic mission theology of reconciliation for the presentsocial order, one that integrates several aspects of this teaching intothe principle for progress in building a people in peace, justice and fra-ternity. Post–conciliar teaching has continued to underline this aspectof social reconciliation. For instance, Pope Francis speaks of social pro-cess and principle for people–building. It is a principle which calls at-tention to the bigger reality rather than the short–term narrow inter-est; a principle which aims at generating process of people–buildingas opposed to obtaining immediate results for short–term politicalgains, which do not enhance human fullness. Conflict cannot beignored or concealed. It has to be faced. But if we remain trappedin conflict, we lose our perspective, our horizons shrink and realityitself begins to fall apart: “In the midst of conflict, we lose our senseof the profound unity of reality”. In other words, in the tensionbetween bigger reality and short–term, narrow goals of human en-deavor, we are challenged by the high ideals of promoting the biggerreality, the human “desire for a full life. . . which includes a longingfor fraternity which draws us to fellowship with others and enablesus to see them not as enemies or rivals, but as brothers and sisters tobe accepted and embraced”.

. Cfr. EG , .

. EG .

. F, Message for the World Day of Peace, : Libreria Editrice Vaticana, VaticanCity , –.